Press release
Minister Bruton launches 2018 Digital Plan for Schools
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Published on
Last updated on
The Minister for Education and Skills, Richard Bruton TD, today (Friday 8th June) published the 2018 Digital Strategy Action Plan. The Plan, which has over 80 actions, sets out a roadmap for the twelve months ahead, to bring the Irish education system further along the path to being the best in Europe at embedding digital technology in teaching, learning and assessment by 2026.
While the 2018 Action Plan includes the list of actions to be achieved this year, the Digital Strategy for Schools 2015-2020 sets out the government’s medium term plan to realise the potential of digital technologies to enhance teaching, learning and assessment.
Digital technology has fundamentally transformed the world we live in. Ireland's young people must become engaged thinkers, active learners, knowledge constructors and global citizens to flourish in modern society and the economy. Making this ambition a reality requires targeted and innovative use of technology to enrich teaching, learning and assessment.
The 2017 Digital Strategy Action Plan was published in June 2017 identifying some 120 actions/sub-actions for delivery during the course of 2017. Of these 113 were delivered representing a 94% completion rate. The remaining 7 sub actions are carried forward into the 2018 Digital Strategy Action Plan. Progress on implementation of the Plan is continuing.
The 2018 Digital Strategy Action Plan builds on progress made in 2017. It reiterates the goals and objectives set out in the Digital Strategy for Schools 2015-2020 and contains over 80 actions/sub-actions to be achieved by the end of 2018. It will be followed by annual action plans in 2019 and 2020.
Key elements of the 2018 Digital Strategy Action Plan include:
View the 2018 Action Plan here: 2018 Digital Strategy Action Plan.
Launching the 2018 Plan, Minister Bruton said:
“Ireland has set itself the ambitious target of having the best education and training service in Europe within a decade. To achieve this our system must be a front-runner in embracing digital technologies to enhance teaching and learning."
“Through the Action Plan for Education and the implementation of the Digital Strategy we will realise the potential of digital technologies to enhance teaching, learning and assessment to help students become engaged thinkers, active learners, knowledge constructors and global citizens."
“The development of these skills are a critical for our young people in an increasingly digital landscape for their future prospects in life."
“Last year I provided €30m in ICT grants to schools and a further €30m issued this year and in the next three years I will invest a further €150 m to upgrade the ICT facilities in our schools. A key priority to achieving these aims will be the enhancement of broadband services to primary schools, and my department is working with the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment, having regard to the National Broadband Plan, in progressing this objective.”
ENDS
The actions from Q1 have all been delivered (some actions for Q1 will however be ongoing for the duration of the Strategy).
As part of the 2017 Action Plan, Minister Bruton sketched out what success looks like a number of years down the road. Today’s action plan outlines the next steps aimed at delivering on that.
The targets are:
The 2018 Digital Strategy Action Plan outlines some 80 actions/sub-actions to be implemented during the year by the department, its agencies and others across Government. Timelines and lead responsibility have been assigned, progress on the implementation of the 2018 Action Plan will be reviewed every quarter and the department will publish an end of year review of 2018.
The “Digital Strategy for Schools 2015-2020, Enhancing Teaching, Learning and Assessment” was published in October 2015 and forms the basis for ICT policy for first and second level schools in Ireland. The Strategy sets out a clear vision that is focused on realising the potential of digital technologies to transform the learning experiences of students by helping them become engaged thinkers, active learners, knowledge constructors and global citizens who participate fully in society and the economy.
The Strategy is organised around four themes:
The Strategy recognises that schools need some financial certainty in terms of their planning and procurement. Accordingly, there is a commitment in the Strategy to provide multi-annual grants in line with the availability of resources. A fund of €210m has been committed beginning with an investment of €30m in respect of the 2016-2017 school year already distributed to schools and a further €30million for the current school year (2017/2018) which issued to schools in Q1 of 2018. Funding will rise to €50m towards the end of the Strategy.
An Implementation Advisory Group was established in 2017 to guide the implementation of the Strategy.
The Group includes industry and academic experts, representatives of the voluntary digital sector, in addition to the Department of Education and Skills and relevant government bodies.
View the full Digital Strategy for schools 2015-2020 here: Digital Strategy for Schools 2015-2020.